Strike a Match, Make It Last
by pageslearntothink
Summary: [They were lucky. They were strong. They were surviving. But it was hard. One step forward, two steps back. They found themselves in situations they never imagined before. Zombies, gangs, psychopaths, and wild animals. But they were making it.] OC couple: Jalex! Second Chances: Zombie!AU. M for zombies, violence, and language. Title from "Save Me A Spark" by Sleeping With Sirens
1. Prologue

**Hey!**

**So zombie au! Yay! I've never written one of these, unless you count the sample _The Last of Us _on _Into the Future, _which is a parody of the video game _The Last of Us, _but I wouldn't consider it as a zombie au because the infected are not zombies in that particular story. **

**This is zombies.**

**So there's really no explanation as to how it happened. Let your imagination take care of that. :)**

**Also, granted, the UK does not have any guns available. I did some research, and while the stats state that there's a good number of licensed firearm owners, guns are pretty scarce in the UK (at least according to all the articles I've read on the subject). Basically, I know this story may or may not be completely realistic (after all this is a fanfiction of sorts) but if they do find guns or have them at some point, just pretend that the UK has guns coming out the wazoo. 'Kay? :)**

**And I've got a playlist of inspiration songs for this story: _Strike a Match, Make It Last - Inspiration Playlist. _:)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The Clarkes were spending the weekend at a beach for Michael's birthday when it happened.

Sirens from police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks were deafening on the main streets. Some people were speaking urgently into their cell phones while others paid close attention to radios and TVs for news reports. It wasn't until the family had witnessed a middle-aged woman tackle a teenage boy in a parking lot and take a bite out of his neck that Jerome hurriedly ushered them into the minibus.

Jerome flipped on the radio and every station was covering the story. But no one could make sense of the situation; they were just told that authorities were trying to control riots that were breaking out all over the city.

Jerome and Mara quickly decided that they should get back to Liverpool as quickly as they could.

They drove and drove, only coming halfway between their starting point and their destination after two days. Over that time, they came across food, water, and weapons when they were lucky. They had to leave the van after the second day and carry on the journey on foot.

They were lucky. They were strong. They were surviving.

But it was hard.

One step forward, two steps back.

They found themselves in situations they never imagined before. Zombies, gangs, psychopaths, and wild animals.

But they were making it.

Until, the seventh day of their adventure.

They had been weaving their way through trees, silent and alert, and then they came to a rushing river. A bridge that _looked_ safe enough to cross stretched over it. It was a scene like this that they took a second to take in: the sun was shining, birds were chirping, the water was clean and pure, a light breeze rustled the trees. It looked like the world wasn't ending. Like England wasn't filled with undead people creeping around every corner.

With that thought jerking them all out of the peaceful moment, they continued.

It happened so fast.

Josh was holding Gracie's hand as they were the last to cross the bridge. He felt the wood breaking under his feet just before it collapsed out from under Gracie. He lifted her and pushed her toward the other end of the bridge where Michael had grabbed a hold of her, and then Josh fell through the wood, tumbling into the water.

The water was thundering around him. Josh couldn't see which direction the shore was—especially when the back of his head thumped against a rock, rattling his brain and causing white spots to dance across his vision. He opened his mouth reflexively to cry out and water flooded into his mouth. It only took a second longer for him to black out.

* * *

Alice hugged herself tightly, resting her forehead on her drawn up knees. She heard a shuffling beside her, but it was only Michael as he sat down on the forest floor. Alice looked up and noticed her father leaning against a tree a couple feet away from the clearing. She bit her bottom lip and reached over to Mara to touch her arm gently, silently requesting her attention. Her mother stopped humming softly to Gracie and met Alice's blue eyes with her brown ones.

"Dad's blaming himself." Alice said softly.

The moment Josh had fallen into the river, Jerome had recklessly followed the shore, ordering Michael to protect his mother and siblings. He hurried alongside the water only so long, before he lost sight of Josh's body being carried by the waves. He took a longer than necessary to return to his family, tightened his jaw, and told them that they'd be setting up camp there for the night.

Mara's gaze drifted over to her husband and she nodded in agreement. "I know." She took a deep breath and carefully passed Gracie over to her. "I'm going to go talk to him."

Louisa watched her walk away from the fire while Matty curled into her side, longing for comfort.

Jerome nearly flinched away from Mara's touch when she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"J?" She whispered.

Jerome poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue, trying so hard not to cry. He needed to be on his guard. He couldn't do this right now.

Mara wrapped her arms around his waist, one of his arms hugged her shoulders tightly as he kissed her forehead while he held his rifle at the ready with the other. Mara sighed, resting her cheek against his dirty gray t-shirt. "You were his hero, you know?" She said.

Jerome remained silent, his throat burning as emotion clawed at it. He focused his tired eyes on the trees around them.

Mara continued, "He wanted to be just like you. He loved you so much."

Jerome let go of her with a grunt and pulled a hand through his blond hair angrily. "We're only a week into this whole thing and I've already lost one of our kids—"

"It wasn't your fault," Mara said gently. It was something you trained yourself to do very quickly, when the undead was attracted to noise.

"I could have done something."

"Don't make this harder on yourself, Jerome."

"He's gone, Mara. _Josh_ is _gone_." He growled without thinking.

Mara didn't reply. She covered her face with her hands and leaned back on a tree as she tried to calm her sobs.

Jerome's shoulders slumped guiltily. He closed the distance between them and lifted her chin, pressing a soft kiss to her trembling lips. "I'm sorry."

Mara cupped his face, making him meet her eyes. "He wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He saved Gracie. He knew that's what you would've done. He wanted all of us to be safe. We lost a part of us today, but have to keep moving forward. It'll be hard, but we can handle it."

* * *

**Is this something you guys would want to read?**

**Title is from:**

**"Sometimes I feel stuck. Sometimes I get lost in so much hope, I'm drowning. Would you save me a spark? We'll start a fire that shines a light in the dark. Strike a match, make it last, we are all we need. Would you save me a spark? We'll light up the dark." -Save Me A Spark, Sleeping With Sirens**

**-Rachel**


	2. 8 DAYS IN

**I've literally got like, the whole story planned. I never do this. It's actually completely outlined. o_O I'm surprised. But I guess I was just really inspired. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**8 DAYS IN**

When Josh awoke, he immediately sat straight up, and then he regretted the action as his head began to pound painfully with a splitting headache.

"Good you're awake," said a voice.

Josh blinked slowly, reaching a hand up to the back of his head where a nice goose egg had formed. He winced and then looked up at the other person. His long legs were crisscrossed as he sat on the floor of the shack they were in. He was munching on a granola bar, savoring every bite. He tossed one to Josh.

"You've been unconscious since I found you on the shore of the river. Which had to have been at least…six hours ago?" He shrugged his shoulders.

Josh looked around the shack. "Where's my gun?"

The other teen shrugged again. "You didn't have one when I found you."

Josh noted the Spanish accent that rolled off his tongue. "Where am I?"

He swallowed and then chuckled sheepishly, his dark brown eyes darting to the floor. "I don't really know. My mom and I just moved here about a year ago. However, if we were in America or Mexico, I could tell you where we were without a second thought."

Josh licked his dry lips and unwrapped the granola bar that was tossed to him with slightly shaking fingers.

"I'm Alex, by the way. Alex Burke."

Josh eyed Alex's outstretched hand and then shook it with his own. "Josh Clarke."

"You're lucky I found you," Alex remarked. "You would've been zombie chow. They were coming out of the woods when I was dragging you back here."

Josh raised his head slowly. "Where are they now?"

"Still out there from what I can tell with all that moaning and groaning. There must be at least a dozen right outside the door."

Josh noticed a crate pushed up against the door to keep out intruders. He sighed tiredly. "Where's your mum?"

"Back home, I'm assuming," Alex replied, leaning back on the crate as he popped the last bite of granola bar into his mouth. "I was at a competition with the rest of my swim team when this all happened."

Josh didn't respond.

"What about you? What were you doing?"

"My family and I were celebrating my brother's birthday." Josh's eyes roamed around the shack, searching for any type of weapon, supplies, or an opening so he could see out of the shack. The only things he could see was a backpack that he assumed belonged to Alex, his own backpack, soaked, lying next to him, the crate against the door, a plank of wood, and a window that was right above the door. The shack was either empty to begin with or someone had already picked it clean of anything useful.

"This is one hell of a birthday present," Alex chuckled.

Josh ignored his comment and stood up. He sat on the crate, testing its strength, and when he decided that it was sturdy enough for his weight, he climbed onto it. He was a little wary, standing on wood again, after what happened with the bridge, but the difference between the bridge and this crate was that the bridge was old and the crate wasn't. He peeked through the window.

"Okay," he murmured, chewing on the granola bar. Alex had stood up to look at him better. "We've got one by the door, three at the edge of the trees, and two by the river—and that's my gun!" He hissed, shooting a look at Alex. "You didn't see it down by that rock?"

"I didn't find you down there, I found you on the other side of the shack." Alex explained, pointing toward the opposite side of the room.

"We can't take care of this one by the door without alerting the others." Josh mumbled, jumping off of the crate and landing with a soft thud. He sat on the floor again and opened his backpack. He pulled a half empty bottle of water out, freezing when he saw Alex's gaze follow it. "When was the last time you had clean water?"

"Maybe two days," Alex said longingly, thanking Josh quickly and gratefully when he offered it to him. He took one greedy gulp before handing the bottle back to Josh.

"We need to get my gun as soon as those Creepers move," Josh said, examining the three clips of ammo he had in his backpack.

"Is that what you call them?"

Josh looked up to Alex briefly. "Yeah, what do you call them?"

"Zombies. Because that's what they are right?"

"We called them Creepers so Gracie and Matty would feel a little better talking about them. My family's strong; not a lot phases us. But they're just kids—" Josh stopped. "Oh my, God, my family. They must think I'm dead. I have to get out of here and find them."

"Where was your family headed?" Alex asked.

"Liverpool."

"Hmm, me too," Alex reached into his own backpack and produced a road map. "I snatched it from a bus driver."

"Have you been alone this whole time?" Josh asked, spreading the map out on the crate. "Without a weapon?"

"I'm really fast."

Josh smirked a little. He trailed a finger up the map. "This is the route my dad was taking to get back home. Are you going to come with me?"

"At this point, all we've got is—" Alex shut his mouth when a gun shot fired. It was followed by another, and another, and another.

"Fuck this shit," a man grumbled. "I hate these things."

Josh went rigid. He locked eyes with Alex and folded the map as quietly as he could. Another shot ripped through the forest.

"What the fuck, Troy?" another man's voice snapped in horror. "You just fucking murdered him!"

"He's been stealing from—" Troy's reply was cut off when he cried out in pain.

"Holy shit, mate, you were just bit."

"Bruce, don't just stand there! Bruce! Come back here, you fucking asshole!"

Josh picked up his backpack and swung it over his shoulders. He climbed onto the crate to look out the window while Alex gathered his things.

Josh carefully got down and moved closer to Alex, speaking lowly, "The other guy took off. The one that was bit is still out there—" Another shot. "—Okay, I'm assuming that was him. We need to get out of here and grab my gun before more Creepers come down on top of us or that other guy comes back."

Alex nodded quickly. He and Josh moved the crate out of the way and rushed out a few feet from the door. "One Creeper," Alex noted, staring at the one that was chewing a hole right through a corpse's stomach.

Josh snatched up his gun, checked it for any damages before he made it back to Alex. He hooked its strap over his shoulder and looked around the clearing. The Creeper wasn't paying any attention to them as it feasted on some fresh food. Josh picked up a pole that had once been part of a sign and came up behind the Creeper, driving the pole through the back of its skull and into the ground. It fell limp and Josh carefully pulled the other man's gun out from under the Creeper. He shakily checked the man's backpack and jean pockets for anything important, coming up with four ammo clips for his gun, a full water bottle, and a half-empty bag of beef jerky. He turned to Alex just in time to witness him bend over a bush and wretch.

"Fuck," Alex rasped, wiping his mouth and kneeling beside the river, splashing his face with the water.

"You alright?"

"I will be," Alex murmured, taking the gun from him hesitantly.

"It's a Glock 17," Josh said.

"I don't know what that means," Alex laughed. "And I don't know how to use it."

"It means it's a really good gun. It's easy to use." He looked back at the woods and then gripped Alex's backpack, steering him toward the trees. "See that big tree with the knot?" He asked, unzipping Alex's backpack and dropping the things he found into the large pocket. He slid one of the clips into Alex's front pocket for easy access and Alex nodded silently as an answer to his question. "Your goal is to hit that knot. Pretend it's a Creeper's head."

Josh pointed to the gun, naming the different parts. "Keep your finger off the trigger and the safety switch on unless you're going to shoot something." He instructed.

Alex hummed in understanding. He lifted the pistol. Josh told him to keep relax his elbows and shoulders. Alex worried his bottom lip and closed one of his eyes. Josh told him to keep both eyes open. Alex did as he was told and pulled the trigger, missing the tree completely, and crying out at the kick the gun had. He waved his left hand and hissed. "Damn, that hurt!"

Josh chuckled. "It packs a punch, but it'll get easier."

Alex glared at him.

"Try it again."

Alex aimed the handgun again.

"Relax," Josh murmured, looking over his shoulder. "Aim a little higher."

Alex pulled the trigger. The bullet landed on the edge of the knot.

"One more time. Aim to the—"

"Left. I know," Alex finished, brows pinching in concentration. He aimed, he fired, and it hit the knot.

"Now just do that to Creepers and you'll be fine." Josh smiled, squeezing his shoulder.

Alex flicked on the safety and tucked pistol into the waistband of his jeans, wincing at the uncomfortable feeling of the weapon against his back.

"Okay," Josh pulled the map out of Alex's backpack. "We're going to follow the river until we get to that bridge, then it'll be easier for us to find our way to Liverpool, and hopefully we'll run into my family along the way."

Alex followed Josh along the side of the river without a word.

* * *

**And basically, this whole thing will be Josh and Alex. The rest of Clarkes aren't going to show up until later. :/**

**"The glory of the nation dies, the symbol of this war is coming. A warning meant to save our lives from F.E.A.R.'s religion. Out of the depths we crawl to light, never give in when the fire rises. Standing here, we are unified, our hearts bear crosses. Can't turn back now..." -Revelation, Black Veil Brides**

**-Rachel**


	3. 13 DAYS IN

**I wrote this yesterday. It's an okay chapter.**

**I've decided that I always fuss over the length of chapters rather than quality. So I'm not going to worry about making it to 1000+ words anymore. I'm just going to write the chapter best I can, and the length doesn't matter anymore. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**13 DAYS IN**

Josh nudged Alex's arm with his elbow, holding his gun at the ready as they walked down the street of the small town they had come across. "That drugstore looks untouched."

Alex spotted the building ahead and chuckled. "Except for that jet that landed in it."

"It should be safe," Josh murmured.

"Where are all the Creepers?" Alex asked, looking around warily. "Everything's so quiet."

"They're probably in the drugstore," Josh joked.

"Well, with our luck," Alex shrugged.

Josh and Alex stopped in the middle of the street, observing the semi-truck that was crashed in front of the drugstore. Alex walked up to the truck, tucking his pistol into the waistband of his jeans, and grabbed onto the ladder attached to the side of the truck's trailer. Once he was on top of the trailer, he motioned for Josh to come up as well.

"The front doors are back here," he said.

Josh rested a hand on Alex's shoulder to steady himself once he made to the top of the ladder.

A blood curdling scream caused both of them to jump out of their skin before they could move on.

"What the hell was that?" Alex hissed.

Josh stared at the street where a woman had run out from a building a few blocks away from them. The Creepers that had been hiding in other buildings began shuffling out into the street, attracted to the screams of the woman.

"Can Creepers scream?" Alex questioned, squeezing Josh's wrist.

"No, she's just a girl."

"Please," she shrieked, looking around at all the zombies surrounding her. "Somebody help me! Help!"

"We need to help her."

Josh stopped him with an arm across his chest as a Creeper crawled up to the girl and bit into her angle. "Too late."

"Put her down—"

"No, she's a good diversion. She'll be able to buy us time," Josh said, tugging on Alex's arm.

Alex reluctantly followed Josh down the hood of the truck and to the front doors of the drugstore. They quickly spread out in the room, grabbing all the supplies they could find and stuff into their backpacks. Josh pocketed several clips of ammo from the plane that had crashed into the ceiling just as the girl in the street suddenly fell quiet.

"We don't have much time before—" Josh's head snapped around to look at the side entrance when zombies began pounding on the door.

"Before that happens," Alex finished.

"You done?"

"I've got what I found," Alex mumbled, pulling his pistol out as the Creepers burst through the door. His heart leaped into his throat.

"Come on, we have to get back to the highway," Josh led the way to the front doors and they climbed onto the hood of the truck.

Alex gagged when a Creeper managed to hook its fingers into the collar of his sweater, pulling on him roughly.

Josh turned quickly, grabbing for Alex's hand and shooting the Creeper in the face. He pulled Alex up onto the truck and their eyes met instantly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Alex answered shakily, scrambling to the top of the trailer.

"Well, now we're even; you've saved my life and now I've saved yours," Josh smiled, climbing down the ladder.

Carefully, they made their way past the last few zombies in the street. Alex stared, horrified, at the girl that they had left behind as a distraction. She had been torn apart by the Creepers, her blood pooling around her body, staining the concrete, as she lay there lifeless.

Alex bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from bringing it up, and he and Josh continued on to the highway. The once busy roads were deserted, cars parked and wrecked as far as the eye could see.

When they were a good hour away from the town, Alex stopped walking. "How could you do that?"

Josh stopped a few feet ahead of him and sighed heavily. He turned and cocked an eyebrow. "Alex—"

"She wasn't much older than us. She was in trouble. We could have helped her. I shouldn't have let you walk away. We could've done _something_."

"She was out of range—" Josh began.

"That doesn't make it okay—"

"Alex, I regretted it the moment I turned my back. But you saw it happen. She was bit—there was nothing we could have done. Forget about it."

"But, Josh—"

"Forget about it," Josh ground out and started walking again.

Alex rushed forward and gripped Josh's shoulder, forcing him to look up at him. "Promise me that won't happen again."

Josh didn't reply.

"Promise me that the next time something like that happens and we can do something, we will. We'll put ourselves second."

"You don't survive a zombie apocalypse putting others before yourself, Alex."

"Did your video games teach you that?"

"As a matter of fact—"

"This isn't a video game. You don't get a second chance if you fuck up. You have to hold onto your humanity. Letting someone get ripped apart by the living dead just so you can last a few more days is going to lead you down a very dark path and I don't want to see you lost. You're a really good guy." Alex said. "Promise me."

Josh clenched his jaw. "I promise."

* * *

**I'm thinking about changing my username again: pageslearntothink. Thoughts?**

**That's a lyric from _Black Ink Revenge_ by _Automatic Loveletter._**

**"Everybody's gonna make mistakes, but everybody's got a choice to make. Everybody needs a leap of faith, when are you taking yours? What are you waiting for? You gotta go and reach for the top, believe in every dream that you got. You're only living once so tell me, what are you, what are you waiting for?" -What Are You Waiting For?, Nickelback**

**-Rachel**


	4. 17 DAYS IN

**Would you guys maybe, possibly, want to read a story about the Clarkes that takes place at the same time this story does? Let me know. Because I've got the outline finished... :P**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**17 DAYS IN**

"Answer the question, Joshua," Alex sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Can't you focus?" Josh retorted quietly, straining his neck so he could peer around a tree as they made their way through the woods. "A Creeper could come out of nowhere and you want to play Never Have I Ever."

"Twenty Questions. I want to play twenty questions. I'm on my sixteenth question, so answer it: Who was your first kiss?"

"I'll repeat my question: What are you twelve?" Josh scoffed.

"Do you want that to be your question?"

"No."

"Then answer mine."

"I honestly don't want to talk about it."

Alex smirked teasingly. "Have you never been kissed?"

Josh straightened and took a deep breath, stopping so he could turn and glare at Alex steadily. "My first kiss was with Fiona Rutter. On her birthday. In a hospital room. Where my best friend Leo was lying unconscious after being hit by a car. And he had a massive crush on her. I couldn't stand her. I didn't want to kiss her. But she got the wrong idea when I gave her advice. So there. That was my—" He cried out in pain when a bullet pierced his left shoulder, and the surprise caused him to collapse.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" Alex demanded, rushing to Josh's side.

Josh breathed in deeply, forcing himself back onto his feet.

"Get off our property!" A man shouted from somewhere behind them.

Josh lifted his right hand and Alex lifted his hands as well to show the threat that they were surrendering, and they changed their direction, heading toward the left side of the forest where they knew a road was a couple blocks away.

Once they made it to the pavement, Josh peeled his shirt over his shoulder to look at the wound.

"Oh, God, what do we do?" Alex breathed.

"Hands where I can see them!"

"Again?" Josh hissed, doing as they were told. He followed Alex down the road until they were standing in front of a makeshift gate that protected a rundown motel.

The dark-skinned man sitting atop a camper raised a sniper rifle. "Are their more of you?"

"No, it's just us," Alex replied.

"Let them in, Moses," a voice ordered.

Moses sat back down, still tense, and gave a nod. One of the dumpsters was pulled out of the way and Josh and Alex carefully made their way into the motel parking lot.

"Were you bit?" Moses suddenly barked when he could see the boys better.

"No!" Alex denied quickly. "He was shot."

A woman with a long blonde ponytail came closer to Josh. "Can I see it? I'm a doctor."

Josh nodded and let her lead him to a chair a few feet away from the others. Alex stayed where he was and turned to the man that had let them in.

"I'm Brett, I'm sort of the leader around here." He said with a warm smile, holding out his hand.

Alex shook it. "Alex, and that's Josh."

"Well, our place isn't much but we have food and water. You're welcome to stay," Brett said. He motioned up at the camper. "That's Moses, my right hand man. Jill's our medic. And Sawyer and Taylor are looking for their parents."

The nine year old girl waved at Alex from beside her older brother.

"Thanks. We'll just stay long enough for Josh to get patched up. Then we'll get out of your hair."

"Then we'll give you some food to take with you," Brett offered, leading Alex to the side of the camper. He opened a small, blue cooler. "We have quite the selection. What'll it be?"

Alex shook his head, eyeing the little supply of food they had, and casting a glance back at Josh. "We couldn't do that. You've got more people and a kid. We'll be fine."

"I insist, Alex. We've got to help one another out once in a while. Not many people would be so kind these days. Either of you like apples?" Brett held out a green apple and Alex took it hesitantly.

"Thanks, Brett," Alex smiled weakly.

"And some water. Don't mention it, mate." Brett grinned, tossing him a bottle of water.

Alex tucked the apple and bottle into his backpack and joined Josh across the parking lot where Jill was sewing stitches into his shoulder. "Is that going to scar?"

A smile tugged on the corners of Jill's lips. "Maybe a little."

Alex sat on the pavement and grinned up at Josh. "Scars are _hot_."

Josh almost rolled his eyes but the action was replaced with a wince as the needle pieced his skin.

"There. All done." Jill said after a few more minutes of silence.

"Thanks, Jill," Alex said as left to replace Moses as look out. He turned to Josh. "Where to next?"

"Still heading up north," Josh mumbled, pulling his shirt back on, grunting in pain as he raised his arms above his head.

"We're lucky, aren't we?"

Josh breathed out slowly. "To find this place? Yeah, we are."

"Maybe we could rest for a few days?" Alex suggested, scratching the back of his neck. "I want to get to my mom just as bad as you want to find your family, but we've been walking nonstop, alone, for days. I'm tired."

Josh's eyebrows furrowed and he ran a hand through his blond hair. "Yeah, you're right. I've been pushing us too hard. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Just, I don't think it'd hurt to take a few days off and stay put. Just long enough to repay these people for helping us and recharge, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Josh nodded.

"Now, back to our game," Alex smirked cheekily, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees.

Josh let out a combination of a groan and laugh, his head rolling back on his shoulders. "My turn?"

"Yep."

"We've got another wounded!" Jill called from the top of the camper.

Alex shot up off the ground and took Josh's good hand, tugging him to his feet as Brett let a man haul a woman, her left foot mangled, through the gate.

"She wasn't bitten," the man assured them, "She got caught in some kind of trap."

Jill left her post and Sawyer took over, taking the sniper rifle from her as she led the pair to the back of a pickup truck.

Josh and Alex curiously walked up to the lanky man talking to Brett.

"Jill will do everything she can to help Linda," Brett told him and then clapped a hand down on Alex's shoulder when he noticed the boys. "Greg, this is Alex and Josh. We brought them in after Josh was shot."

Greg nodded a silent greeting, glancing worriedly over at Jill working on Linda.

Alex crossed his arm over his chest and met Brett's piercing blue eyes. "If the offers still open, we'd like to stay just a couple days. Regroup and recharge, if that's alright."

Brett smiled. "Of course, you're both welcome. We could use extra hands around here, even just for a few days."

"Brett?" Jill said, jerking her head to the side, wordlessly asking him to join her by the truck.

"Excuse me for a moment," he said before leaving them with Greg.

"So where you two headed?" Greg asked, shifting on his feet anxiously.

"North. We're looking for my family and his mom."

"Be careful. We heard from a group that was headed south that it's worse up there." Greg told them.

Josh and Alex exchanged looks.

"Brett!" Jill shrieked.

Everyone whipped around in unison to see Linda shoot up from the bed of the truck, grab Brett by his shoulders, and sink her teeth into his neck. Blood sprayed from the wound as she growled inhumanly, her fingers reaching into the hole she made. Brett collapsed on the edge of the truck, dead.

Moses grabbed an axe that was leaned up against the camper and sliced it through Linda's skull. He turned to Greg angrily. "You said she wasn't bit!"

"She wasn't!" Greg cried.

"Then what the hell happened? She just ate Brett!" Moses looked back at Jill. "How did she die?"

Jill swallowed thickly, looking away from the mess on the truck. "Loss of blood. She didn't have a single bite mark on her, I swear."

The realization dawned on the group instantly. They all remained silent, except for Alex, who broke the horrified stillness.

"Oh, shit. Does that mean we turn no matter how we die? We're all infected?"

"Get Brett's head before he changes." Sawyer mumbled, pulling Taylor away from the others.

Moses frowned deeply, taking a moment to gaze at Brett's body, before he used the axe on his head as well.

Jill turned away, covering her mouth with her forearm and rushing to a trash bin in the corner of the parking lot so she could retch.

Alex helped Moses and Greg haul the bodies out of the parking lot and dropped them somewhere in the woods.

Josh dragged a hand down his face tiredly as Alex rejoined him.

"Hungry?" Alex asked, holding out the apple Brett had offered him.

Josh chuckled, taking it gratefully. He tossed it between his hands, his eyes watching it touch the palm of one palm before jumping to the other.

"What are you thinking?"

Josh smiled a little, holding up the apple. "My brothers and I love apples. I think it's a genetics or something. My dad loves apples too."

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?" Alex shrugged.

"Yeah, which makes that weird because my mum's a doctor." Josh murmured.

Alex threw his head back and laughed loudly.

Josh shook his head, finding Alex's laughter to be contagious. "Nah, I think if apples really did repel doctors, my dad would stay as far away from them as possible."

"That's sweet." Alex smirked.

"I sound weird talking about my parents' relationship," Josh realized, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"No, I like the way you talk about the people you care about." Alex cocked his head, gazing at Josh. "It makes me want to meet everyone you care about."

"Maybe you will."

"I know I will. Because we'll find your parents." Alex promised him.

* * *

**"Tear down the cross, splinters and shards. Remembered this Trojan horse, rode to the land we enter. We'll burn away, and free our fallen brothers from shackles made of steel and bones of soldiers." -Shadows Die, Black Veil Brides**

**-Rachel**


	5. 27 DAYS IN

**Heyo... :D**

**YAY more Josh and Alex and zombies! Who doesn't love some of that?**

**I start school tomorrow. :/**

**I'm going to write as much as I can tonight since I have complete outlines for _My Love Will Not Let You Down,_ _Somewhere Down the Line _and _Strike a Match, Make It Last_. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**27 DAYS IN**

Alex glanced behind himself nervously, his fingers twitching for the comfort his pistol could provide. Beside him, Sawyer walked calmly down the street, a familiar path to a gas station.

Sawyer noticed Alex's tense posture. "Don't worry, mate, I've got your back."

"I know. I'm just used to having Josh with me, that's all." Alex murmured.

"No, I get it. You don't know me. You don't trust me. That's okay, I understand."

"So you and your sister are looking for your parents?" Alex asked after a beat of silence.

"Yeah, they were up in Edinburgh when all this happened. In a couple days, the group is going to start moving up north," Sawyer explained, kicking a rock across the pavement. "There's supposed to be a place in Glasgow for survivors. Taylor and I will part ways with the group before we get there and go to Edinburgh."

They fell silent again, Alex mulling over the information Sawyer just provided, while Sawyer gazed at him occasionally. When they reached the gas station, they searched the area for zombies before entering and packing what was left on the shelves into their backpacks.

Alex sighed heavily and turned to Sawyer rather irritably. "Would you stop looking at me like that?"

Sawyer chuckled. "Like what?"

"Like you want to fuck me against that wall." Alex scoffed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"You didn't, it's just…"

"You and Josh have a thing going?"

"What? No."

"But you want to have a thing with Josh going?"

"No, Sawyer," Alex shook his head. "We're in a dirty, abandoned gas station during the zombie apocalypse and you want to fuck?"

"With the dead walking around us, sometimes you need something to make you feel alive." Sawyer shrugged a shoulder.

Alex stared at him.

And then he pushed Sawyer against the wall.

* * *

"How's your arm?" Taylor asked Josh curiously.

"It hurts, but I'll be fine." He replied with a small smile and nodded toward the coloring page Sawyer's little sister was holding down with the palm of her hand to keep it in place every time a gentle breeze ghosted through the lot. "What are you coloring there?"

"Pluto, my cat," she answered excitedly. "Well, actually, he's not mine. But my parents promised that I'd have a cat one day and they never break a promise."

When Josh didn't reply, she held out a blue crayon. "Would you like to color with me?"

Josh chuckled a little and sat beside her, taking the crayon slowly. "Sure. You know, you remind me of my little sister, Gracie."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she loves animals and art and she has a brilliant smile that lights up any day."

"Where is she?" Taylor asked distractedly as she colored in the grass beneath the gray cat on the page.

"Home, I hope."

"I'm sure you'll see her again. Family always finds itself when it's somewhere to be found. That's what my mum always says."

Josh put his crayon to the paper, on the sky above the cat, but he just barely stroked the blue across the page as he thought about what the girl had said.

* * *

When Alex and Sawyer returned to the motel, Josh gripped Alex's arm roughly and pulled him away from the others.

"Where the hell have you been? Greg and Moses were getting ready to look for you two. It's been over an hour; you were supposed to be gone forty-five minutes tops." Josh rambled.

"It took longer than we thought it would. Sorry. Didn't mean to worry you."

"I wasn't worried," Josh grumbled.

Alex smiled and patted Josh's unharmed shoulder. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Joshua."

Josh rolled his eyes, and noticed Sawyer looking over at them across the motel parking lot. Josh opened his mouth to say something to Alex, but saw that he had met Sawyer's gaze. Josh's eyes narrowed suspiciously, observing the exchange until Sawyer was pulled away by Jill to help her with something.

Josh sighed through his nose and slipped his right hand into his jeans front pocket. "You know, when two people stare into each other's eyes for more than six seconds without blinking, they either want to murder each other or have sex."

In response to Josh's statement, Alex looked around innocently.

"Now, considering the two percent chance that you two managed to find something to murder each other over in the short time we've known him, the one percent chance that I misread the whole situation, and the ninety-three percent chance that you two had sex while on that run—I was hoping the one percent would be lucky but nope—"

Holding up his half-empty water bottle, Alex met Josh's eyes defiantly. "Thirsty?"

"Not as much as you, apparently." Josh hissed.

"Jealous?" Alex smirked.

"Pissed is more like it."

Alex reached for Josh's right arm but Josh pulled away from him quickly. "Don't touch me. I don't know where your hands have been."

"I'm clean, Josh."

"Is Sawyer?"

"He said he was—and we used a condom."

Josh blinked in astonishment, pushing his hand through his hair in frustration. "Alex, do you understand why I'm upset with you?"

"You're a prude?"

"This is the zombie apocalypse, you idiot!"

"It happened all the time in _The Walking Dead_."

"That was a TV show, Alex. This is real life. Anything could've happened," Josh rambled, and began to list every possible worse-case scenario he could think of at that moment, "Sawyer could have killed you while your guard was down—we're not well liked here after the only person that was nice to us was eaten by a friend of his; he could have raped you; STDs are still an issue; either one of you could have been bit or worse—"

"What's worse than being bitten by a flesh-hungry dead-person?" Alex scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest when he began to feel uncomfortable under Josh's hardened gaze.

"Oh, I don't know, your skin being peeled straight off your bones by humans fingers?"

"I had it under control, Josh." Alex murmured, looking down at the pavement under their feet.

"But what if you had slipped up? Just for a second?" Josh expression softened. "I am going to Liverpool with only one person, and that's you. I trust you because you've had my back; you've saved my life. So along the way, if you're reckless or stupid or you don't listen to me, and something happens to you and you can't go on with me, I won't make it. I can't make it alone, Alex."

Before Alex could say anything or apologize, Josh marched away from him without another word.

* * *

"There's a straggler," Jill announced from the top of the camper.

Alex shot up from the lawn chair he was sitting in, ready to do anything to escape the awkward silence between him and Josh. "I've got it."

"Use your knife, keep it quiet, fire two shots if you need help," Jill reiterated.

"Yes, ma'am," he saluted and slipped out of their make-shift fortress and jogged into the woods, leaving Josh behind to sit on the edge of his seat, anxiously awaiting his return.

Alex followed the lone zombie a few yards into the forest and when he finally caught up to the once taller male with black hair, he grabbed its shoulder, holding the Creeper still as he stabbed its head with his knife.

He stood frozen for a moment, staring at the body of the man that had just died a second time, and took a deep breath, calming his rapidly beating heart.

* * *

Ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder, Josh struggled to pull the barricade open by himself. Sawyer pushed on the dumpster to stop Josh from running out of the parking lot.

Josh glared at Sawyer over his shoulder. "Get out of my way. You just heard those shots—Alex needs help."

"Josh, you're badly injured. Let Moses and I go. You could be walking right into a heap of Lurkers on your own with a bad shoulder."

Sawyer's statement went right over Josh's head as he pulled the dumpster out far enough to squeeze through and took off in the direction they'd heard the shots come from.

"Damn it," Sawyer grunted, slamming his palm against the metal.

Josh kept his eyes peeled for any Creepers that might come out of hiding because of the shots that had rang through the trees. He avoided one and shoved another out of his way, and finally made it to Alex, who was kneeling in a clearing with a gun aimed at his head.

Josh's eyes flitted to the man that held the pistol, a heavy object bashing into the back of his skull before he could react, and he collapsed on the forest floor, briefly catching the distressed look in Alex's eyes as he blacked out.

* * *

**Hmm? I think that was a pretty decent chapter for not having written Jalex in a while.**

**All righty, so on Pinterest, I have pics of the Second Chance characters. Who wants to see 'em? No? No one? 'Kay. But I spent a lot of time on them...**

**Also, I'm going to start updating _I Swear on My Life_ again because Jalex. ;) **

**x**

**"I wanna run away, somewhere far, somewhere safe. So scared of this place. 'Cause you don't even know me, and you don't even care that I've been lonely, and tired of fighting in the den of the lions, but I won't give up trying." -Cruel Cruel, Automatic Loveletter**

**-Rachel**


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